Last Tango in Halifax: And the Dance Goes On
by Literary Assassin
Summary: Basically a few chapters of missing scenes that I wish had happened in the series. Features the boys, and Caroline and Kate.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi. So I stumbled onto this GORGEOUS little TV series few weeks ago and now I'm officially obsessed. This is just a little toe in the water kind of deal, adding a few bits where I thoughts bits could be added. Some are close to the episodes and some are continuations, but I'm sure you'll all work that out when you get there!**

**Many thanks to my ever wonderful beta. She knows who she is and she's the best! I'm keeping her forever! :D**

-0-

The clock chimed midnight as Caroline struggled to find the words to break the awkward silence that had fallen between her and William, who suddenly seemed able to read her so completely.

"Happy Birthday."

Caroline reached out to her oldest son, almost overcome with emotions she couldn't deal with.

"I love you, William," she whispered, pulling him into her arms.

It had been so long since they sat like this, but William was her baby - her first baby - and so different to her rough and ready Lawrence.

"Are you two doing anything for your birthday?" he asked as he lay cocooned in her arms.

"No," she said, looking down at him. "No, I'm spending my birthday with you boys."

"You can," he whispered. "Invite her over, its fine."

"But I, you, Lawrence -" She wasn't sure what she was trying to say, but William seemed to get the gist of it.

"Dad's not going to be there, is he?"

"No, I have no idea where your father will be," she said, shaking her head. She didn't blame William for how he felt about John, but she couldn't help but feel that it was partly her fault for not protecting him more. Lawrence was so young, he didn't perhaps understand it, but William was so clever, so sensitive.

"I don't think he should be there."

"William, he's your father -"

"You should invite Miss McKenzie, Kate."

Caroline kissed his hair, taking a moment to make sure she could speak without squeaking.

"I, I might like that," she said quietly, taking a moment to imagine a night with her boys and Kate. Like it should be.

"Invite her," William said with finality, before sitting and pressing a kiss on her cheek. He got up and went to leave the room before she could say anything more.

"William?" she called, rushing after him and catching him before he could escape upstairs. "Thank you. You're, I -"

"I know Mum, I love you too."

He went to bed, leaving Caroline sitting on the bottom step and contemplating how surprising her night had turned out. Aside from John's ridiculous outburst earlier, something she now regretted engaging in, it had been a most enjoyable evening. She was shattered after everything that had happened last night and then the meeting with Gavin, but the few hours she'd managed to spend with Kate this afternoon had done her the world of good. The stirring in her heart and belly in the wake of those memories reminded her of something she'd discovered while Kate dozed and she lay watching her, leaning on her hand and looking at her lover. She'd not felt like this for months, years even; she felt free, weightless almost and a part of her was waiting for it all to come crashing down on her, but for that moment when she ran her fingers along Kate's naked back and watched the goosebumps follow, she felt something else, something she hadn't quantified until now.

Something she hadn't felt since her years at Oxford.

She really had to tell Lawrence and her mother. She would do that tomorrow, after they all celebrated her birthday and enjoyed the evening together. Perhaps Kate could even stay. Yes, tomorrow would be even better than today.


	2. Chapter 2

She stopped outside Lawrence's room, her hand on the door, wondering what the hell to say to her youngest son.

The world had just been swept from underneath her and she couldn't believe John would do that. Actually she could, if he had enough wine, but to tell her Mum. She'd have to deal with that later, but right now she _had_ to talk to Lawrence. She didn't blame Gillian, it wasn't her fault and besides, she was worried about Alan. She couldn't even think about Kate right now, she wanted to, she wanted to go back and have her birthday dinner again, with Kate and the boys playing Scrabble while she cooked and helped Lawrence with his spelling. It had been perfect, really perfect and then Judith had turned up covered in blood, most of which was still all over Caroline even now. But what she had to do was to console her son, covered in the blood of the woman his father had run off, and explain about her being in... just... with a woman.

"Lawrence?" Caroline's heart broke as she heard the soft cries of her son. "I love you."

She sat down with a sigh, reaching out to him. She wasn't sure how he was feeling, whether he was angry with her or just upset. He sat up suddenly, startling her until he threw his arms around her and held on. And she held him just as tightly.

"I don't want people being mean to you."

She smiled against his temple, stroking his hair.

"Nobody's going to be mean to me. I won't let them." She kissed his forehead. "I'm big, believe me, I can handle mean."

She wasn't lying, it didn't bother her if people talked. She'd already told Michael 'Bloody' Dobson what to do with the information Kate had revealed to him and she didn't think she was in the wrong. The ladies had landed indeed, and her sons seemed to be alright with that fact.

Her mother was another story, but she had to shower and wash off all of this blood, and try and get some sleep first. She would deal with her mother, and Kate too, in the morning. She wasn't afraid of being seen with Kate, she wanted to be with Kate.

But really, God knows how her mother would cope.


	3. Chapter 3

She was gone.

The cab drove away and she didn't look back, something Caroline had been counting on as she stood there freezing. She'd meant what she said, she might as well be dead because as she had tried to reason with her mother, tried to tell her what she hadn't even told Kate, she couldn't get the words out. Not when Kate didn't know. She hadn't been lying at the time, when she'd told her that Kate thought the world of her, and that she was very fond of her as well. She had been fond of her, at the time - she was fond of her, but that wasn't all she was anymore. She knew now it was absolutely clear as Kate drove away in that bloody taxi. She was in love with her, completely and utterly in love.

She'd talk to Kate tomorrow and they would work it all out. The boys could go to the cinema and they would just be together as if none of this had ever happened.

-0-

The knock on the window was the last thing Caroline wanted to deal with after the day she'd had, but she asked William to let his Granny in. Maybe she was spoiling for a fight or maybe she was a masochist, but she left WIlliam to open the door as she took off her coat waiting for the inevitable.

"Have you got a minute?"

The words were like a death knell for any chance of salvaging the evening. The only saving grace was that she knew to wait until the boys were occupied. Not that they wouldn't listen of course, but right now she didn't care. All she really wanted to do was curl up in her chair and drink until she couldn't feel the hollow pain in her chest any more, but there stood her mother, going on about how _she_ was heartbroken, how _she_ had been the happiest she had ever been before her daughter had to ruin it all for her.

Well, what about that.

Caroline had never been as happy as she had been for the last six months, never in all her life, not even when she was married to John nor before when she was at Oxford.

And then it all went to hell.

She'd been so incensed and she took it out quite happily on her mother, and deservedly so she thought, but the things she was saying hurt her own heart, just as much as they were no doubt hurting her mother and as she slammed the bedroom door, she realised the boys would have heard every word.

She knew she didn't deserve what she had, knew every day Kate smiled at her that she wasn't deserving of such an amazing woman as a partner, a lover. She heard the door open, but she didn't roll over. It would be William, her little lamb, with a cup of tea perhaps. But she couldn't face him, didn't want to. She'd been just as caustic as her mother had been the night before and she was ashamed.

"I love you," he whispered, placing the blanket over her frame. "I'll get a takeaway for me and Lawrence."

Bless him, her beautiful boy, but it only made her cry more. She wanted Kate, she wanted to wrap herself up in her arms, kiss her lips and tell her that she loved her more than she'd ever loved anyone. Tell her that she didn't think she was pretty, pretty was such an awful word. She thought she was beautiful, she thought that _Kate_ was the one that was magnificent. But Kate was the wordsmith, not her. Anger, she could do; hate, she could do; and shouting, she could do that too. Kate was the one that would astound her with whispered words of devotion and care and... love.

"Oh God, I want her back!" Caroline groaned into her pillow as she cried again.


	4. Chapter 4

"I don't want Chinese, Mum makes better," Lawrence whined, frowning as William fished out another set of leaflets. "And I can't eat that Indian stuff, it makes me hurl."

"Will you just try? Mum can't cook, she's not, she's -"

"She's broken," Lawrence said quietly.

"No she's not, don't say that," William snapped.

Lawrence would never say it out loud, but William was so like their mum. He was so clever, like her but really quiet too. He liked his brother, he did, loved him really as long as no one knew about it. He spotted a letter on the kitchen bench and leaned over a little to read it.

"Oi, stop it!" William said, trying to grab it.

For all his books, William wasn't that good at sport, so Lawrence was quicker to snatch it and ran into the dining room, reading it over the table while fending William's arms off.

"She's leaving," he said, feeling just as shocked as he had when Mum has sat them down and explained that Dad had gone to live with someone else for a while.

"What?"

"Kate, she's leaving, it says so here." He pointed to a word he couldn't quite work out, letting William take the letter and read it quickly.

"She's resigned," William whispered, dropping the paper to the table.

That was the word, he knew he'd heard it somewhere.

"So what does that mean?"

William always knew these sorts of things, and he looked at his big brother, waiting for the verdict.

"That's why Mum is upset. She's going, not coming back."

"What? She can't!" Lawrence said, standing up, his fists balled at his sides.

"I didn't think you were that bothered?" William said, rummaging through the drawer again.

"Well, it's weird, Mum being with Miss McKenzie, but she's nice, always nice to me anyway. She let me win at Scrabble the other day, I know she did, and well Mum smiles all the time now, she's happy."

"I know," William agreed, "but there's nothing we can do, it's none of our business. I'm ordering pizza - what do you fancy?"

Lawrence didn't reply but started hatching a plan. He'd make Kate see, he'd make her see she couldn't leave. He certainly didn't want her to go, if only for his mum's sake.

"I'm going upstairs," he mumbled as William picked up the phone, nodding as they passed each other.

He closed his bedroom door carefully, making sure his mum wouldn't hear him. He'd managed to climb up the drainpipe before but he'd never attempted it the other way. He grabbed his jacket and opened the window, leaning out to check that there was nobody watching. He knew where Kate's house was, for as soon as they'd all found about about her, his mum had made sure to have her address on the board in the kitchen in case anything ever happened. He was sure he would come back home with Kate, so he simply climbed out, clinging onto the drainpipe for dear life.

It was quite a bit further to Kate's house than he'd imagined, but he made it to her front door finally, where he rang the bell and waited for what felt like an age for her to answer.

"Lawrence, what are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you," he pleaded, putting on the face he knew his mum couldn't resist.

"Come in, you'll catch your death. I'm going to ring your Mum, she'll be worried sick," Kate called back down the hallway while he took his jacket off.

"NO!" he yelled, grabbing the phone from her hand before she could connect. "Please, just wait, I want to talk to you."

"Lawrence, she'll be going spare. Why couldn't you have a word with me at school?" Kate asked, sitting down at her table.

"Because you're not going to be there anymore," he said, sitting opposite her.

He wasn't good at this, not like William. His brother always knew what to say and how to say it. He was just stupid Lawrence.

"I, don't go. Don't leave."

"Lawrence -" Kate started, looking as upset as his mum had when Kate had left the night before.

"No, please just listen - Mum's happy, really happy, William sees it too. He said so and you're the reason, you're why she smiles and laughs and gets on well with Granny, well, until like, you know. And I'm sorry for calling William a pussy and a poofter, that was wrong of me, and I don't want people to be mean to you either, but Mum said she was big and she could handle it, only she can't, not without you!" he said in a rush, not realising until Kate reached out and cupped his cheek that he was crying. "Please don't leave us."

"Lawrence, I -" She paused and he watched as she considered her words. "Your Mum loves you, deeply, but she doesn't love me. I don't know why I'm telling you this, but I love her so much but she doesn't love me back, and that's okay Lawrence, it really is, but I can't, I just -"

The doorbell rang and Lawrence growled at whoever it was disturbing them. Kate chuckled a little as she walked past him, wiping her own tears.

"Stay here okay? The last thing I need is to be accused of child abduction."

"Yeah, alright."

He nearly fell out of the chair as he spied his Granny come through the door. He loved his grandmother, he really did, but if she hurt Kate again he'd say something to her, he had to - he wanted his mum back, the one he'd come to adore over the last few months.

He crept closer down the corridor, grimacing when he saw that his granny was facing his way, so he slid down the wall, listening in on the conversation. He smiled when she described his Mum, glad that Granny still loved her. They'd been pretty awful to each other in the kitchen earlier, even though he hadn't understood it all, but if Granny could still love Mum, then Kate could still love his mum too. He wanted to stand up and join in, tell them that it was okay, that she still loved them both, even though she was broken.

His phone buzzed and he glanced down to see William's face on the screen.

He hung up without answering. He needed to make sure Kate was going to go back to Mum first, she _needed _to come back. He loved his dad too, but it was confusing. First he was there, then he wasn't and he loved Mum and then he didn't. Kate was simple, easy to understand. She loved his mum, it was obvious without her saying it, and she even seemed to enjoy playing Xbox. It was simple - he wasn't leaving without her.

"Don't leave her."

He could have jumped up and hugged Granny, but settled for a fist pump as he stayed sat in the hallway still. He could almost feel Kate giving up through the wall.

"Look, Celia, she's not, she won't -"

"I know my daughter love, and she does," Granny said simply. "I'll wait in the car."

He scrambled to get back in the kitchen before his granny could see. He'd be in so much trouble if he got caught.

"Lawrence, come here please."

He walked cautiously back into the living room to see Kate standing by the sofa. "Come here," she said in her Miss McKenzie voice.

"I'm sorry," he apologised quietly.

"Don't be sorry," she said, her tone changing completely. "Come here."

He found himself being tugged into Kate's arms and he hugged her right back. He knew now, he knew she would go back to his mum and it would all be okay.

"Thank you for coming to see me Lawrence. I'll talk to your gran and you can come back with us."

"No way, she'll have a fit!" he said, feeling slightly panicked. "She'll tell Mum."

"No she won't, because she did exactly the same thing as you did, now come on, get your coat."

He walked to the car, hiding behind Kate slightly as his Granny caught sight of him. Expecting to be shouted at when he got in the car, he was stunned when she turned around and patted his knee.

"Great minds think alike, love."

The drive back home was quiet, but not awkwardly so. Not like when they went up to Gillian's farm. He was pretty sure that was mostly Dad's fault though, but this was nice, calm almost and Granny made sure to stop just before the driveway so he could get out and climb back into his room.

"Where've you been?" William demanded, dragging him through the window and into his room.

"Kate's house," he said proudly. "She's here, Granny bought her over. She apologised and everything, Granny did, and now she's at the front door with Kate."

William looked unconvinced, but Lawrence grabbed his sleeve and dragged him to the top of the stairs.

"Told you so," he said quietly as the doorbell rang.

They waited for a moment, but there was no shouting or crying, nothing, until their mum walked past the bottom of the stairs with Kate's hand firmly in hers.

"Yes!" he yelled, holding up his hand for a high five off his big brother.

"Idiot," William said, without the spite. "Well done, Lawrence." Lawrence stood in shock at the top of the stairs as William walked back to his room. "I left you some pizza in your room," he called over his shoulder.

Today was the best day ever. Tomorrow he'd make sure that Mum was smiling again and if he went downstairs to watch the game later, he'd let her know it was okay for Kate to stay, even though he didn't need to think about that, but if his mum was smiling, then he was happy.


	5. Chapter 5

The doorbell ringing was the last thing Caroline needed as she poured herself a glass of wine. Alcohol abuse was perhaps not the best way to drown her sorrows but right now she couldn't give a flying -

The doorbell.

"God!" she growled, leaving the wine bottle on the counter and going to answer the door. She probably looked a fright; she knew for certain that she had red eyes, but she couldn't give a toss. Whoever it was could just get lost.

And there she was.

Of all the people to find on her doorstep, she had never expected her mother and Kate. Kate of all people! Standing on her steps, smiling sadly.

She couldn't take her eyes off her and she felt herself smiling as she stood there in all her beauty. She stood to one side, letting Kate come through the door and nodding gratefully at her mum. There'd be time for all that later, but right now she had things to say and do with, perhaps, the love of her life.

"Will you come and sit with me?" she whispered, taking a deep breath as she heard her voice crack.

They went to the sofa in the living room, and Caroline couldn't help but curl up close to Kate, although she leant against the back to avoid looking too desperate.

"I had the most interesting visitors tonight," Kate began, brushing a tear from Caroline's face.

"I don't want to talk about that, I have to tell you something," she started, taking her hand and rubbing her thumb over Kate's knuckles. "I love you, and I'm not just saying that because of everything that happened yesterday, I actually _do _love you."

"You don't have to, I don't mind if you -"

"I love you," she repeated, squeezing Kate's hand to try and make her see.

"I -" Kate paused, cupping Caroline's cheek, "I love _you,_ Caroline."

"Stay tonight, I don't, I just, please don't go."

Caroline couldn't help but laugh when Kate laughed. She was so beautiful.

"Like mother, like son," she murmured, kissing her gently. "I had a visit from a young man today, he apparently shimmied down the drainpipe to come and beg me to come back."

"I thought for sure you were talking about William for a moment, but only Lawrence would sneak out and shimmy down a drainpipe. He really did that, to get you back for me?" she said incredulously. "He didn't," she laughed once more, tucking Kate's hair behind her ear seemingly unable to stop touching her. "I'll kill him."

"Don't, he was sweet, really lovely about it. Begged me to come back so his mum would smile again."

"I did find it hard to smile when you weren't here," she confessed, feeling her face redden.

"Don't hide from me, not anymore. We need to be honest with each other," Kate said.

Caroline snorted but let Kate hold her. "I need to be honest with you is what you mean; you were nothing but honest with me."

"Well, we can work on it together," Kate said, pressing a kiss to her neck.

"Come upstairs," Caroline whispered, stroking the hand that was resting upon her stomach.

"Alright. Can we say goodnight to the boys first?"

After such an emotional rollercoaster over the last few days Caroline nearly wept once more at the simple question.

"Oh, I love you!" she said. "And you're not pretty Kate, not by a long shot. You're beautiful, amazing, breathtaking."

"And you're magnificent," Kate replied, kissing her so deeply that Caroline felt her toes curl into the sofa.

"Come on," Caroline laughed, pulling her up.

They turned off the lights and walked up the stairs hand in hand. Caroline felt the dark clouds in her head lifting and she smiled, simply because she was happy. And as they stood at William's door, she held onto Kate's arm like a lifeline in a storm, vowing to herself that she would never again let anything come between them.

"Mum? Kate!" William said, smiling just as widely as Caroline felt she was. "I, I'm glad you're back," he said with that innocent smile Caroline loved so much.

She pulled him into her arms, turning him a little so that Kate could hug him too.

"Thank you for looking after your brother, and for being so brilliant."

"Mum, I'm not -"

"Yes you are," she said, messing his hair up with a chuckle.

"Well, thanks I guess."

"Good," Caroline said, kissing his forehead.

"Are you staying?" he asked Kate as Caroline let go of him.

"I, how would you feel if I was?"

"It's fine, I'm happy, you make Mum happy."

Caroline's heart swelled with love for her oldest. He surprised her still in so many ways, but she wondered when he would finally be able to talk to her about things again. They used to talk about most things that troubled him, but after John left he just didn't seem the same. For all his pretence, her boy loved his father and, like her, had suddenly lost all respect for him in the wake of his disloyalty.

"Night," he said, kissing Kate's cheek albeit a little awkwardly, then Caroline's. "It's Saturday tomorrow, I'm sleeping in. Lawrence probably will too, he was, um -"

"A little birdy told me about the jailbreak," Caroline winked. "I'll make sure to thank him, don't worry."

"Good night."

Lawrence was half asleep in front of a film when they crept through the door.

"Hello Lawrence," Caroline whispered, pulling his covers up and tucking him in like she had when he was small. "I believe I owe you a thank you," she said, brushing his hair from his face. "And you, I think owe your brother, and Granny, and Kate."

"Just wanted you to be happy," he mumbled, rolling towards her. "You said mean people couldn't hurt you, but Granny did."

"It's over now sweetheart, everything is alright. I love you." She felt Kate squeeze her shoulder and she leaned back a little, taking comfort in feeling her body against her back.

"Love you," he said, leaning up and putting his head on her knee. "Night Kate."

"Goodnight you," she said from behind Caroline, leaning over her shoulder to kiss his forehead. "Thanks for helping me to see sense."

"S'ok."

They stayed until he had fallen asleep, Kate running her thumb along the tendon in Caroline's neck while Caroline ran her fingers through her son's hair, before they crept from his room. As they turned off the lights they stopped to take advantage of the darkness in the hall, finding each other's lips with apparent ease.

"Come to bed."

"Sure," Kate said immediately.

The awkwardness crept into the room as they both got changed. Caroline found something for Kate to wear and changed herself, meeting Kate on opposite sides of the bed as they mirrored each other, getting in carefully and lying side by side.

"This is stupid," she heard Kate mumble, before she suddenly rolled on top of her. "I love you."

Caroline cradled her lover with her body, skimming her fingernails over any skin she could find.

"I love _you_," she said, smiling as Kate kissed her again. "So much."

"Goodnight."

"Don't let me go," Caroline whispered as Kate rolled off her, but pulled her closer, and seemingly moulding her to her body.

"I won't."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hi there so I re-watched the last two episode last night, and then realised that Series 2 is already filming (Squeee!) and there is a depressing lack of fics here. No offence to the ones that ARE here. We're definitely going for quality over quantity, but I decided to add two more chapter onto my little series. **

**These are unbeta-ed, as my beta has enough of my stuff to be dealing with at the moment (there are only so many hours in the day) so if you see any mistakes, shout them out :D I'm all for constructive criticism.**

**Oh, and the rating went up just a little for this chapter :D**

-0-

Caroline woke up wondering if everything had been a dream, that she was still unhappy in her marriage, trapped, but besotted by two small children, one of which was now clinging to her back like a limpet.

The relief she felt when she shifted just slightly, craning her neck to see Kate McKenzie breathing softly against her back, was palpable. She wanted to sing, or do something she wanted to-

She grinned cheekily as she rolled over, making sure to move carefully so that she didn't wake Kate. And then she was finally facing her gorgeous, wonderful woman, whom she was quite sure she didn't deserve. She paused for a moment before reaching out. She knew that all the unpleasantness would still be fresh in Kate's mind, not that it wasn't for her as well. She hadn't spoken to her mother yet, but that could wait.

She definitely didn't want to be thinking of her mother right now, she wanted to be celebrating, like she should have done on her birthday, like she should have done last night, before everything had gone to hell.

Her nervousness was something she had struggled with during their entire whirlwind romance. Despite being a willing participant in their previous, she frowned as she struggled to put a name to them; encounters perhaps, Caroline had never been the instigator, not really. She pretended to be, she loved kissing Kate, could do it all day if she had the time, but when they were in the bedroom, or on the sofa, or in the shower, and there was nothing between them, she always felt a little out of her depth. When she was at work, or occasionally at home if John was around, she wore her armour, making it so that nothing could touch her. It was in her clothes, her makeup, her shoes. But when she was with Kate, just Kate, she wore, well, nothing mostly. And that made her uncomfortable, not because Kate would ever say anything, but because Kate was so beautiful, so perfect, and she was just Caroline. She had two children, drank far too much wine, put far too much jam on her toast, and snuck chocolate biscuits when the boy's weren't looking. So when Kate took the lead, capitalising on her hesitation, she didn't argue, giving Kate what she wanted, but also, allowing her to take what she wanted too.

That and she was a definitely out of practice, it was not as if John and her ever did anything particularly inspired.

Taking a deep breath, she reached forward, gently carding her fingers through Kate's hair, loving the different feel to it. It was thicker than her own, and she loved running her hands through it when she was in any position to. She blushed at the thoughts running through her head, trying to work out when the last time she did so was, before she remembered the afternoon they'd spent at Kate's after Alan and her mother had turned up.

Despite loving their trysts together, their magical afternoons, sometimes evenings if the boys were out, Caroline suddenly realised that it didn't really matter if Kate never wanted to sleep with her again. Caroline would be alright with that, because Kate was here anyway, and they could talk and laugh, and cook dinner together. And it would be beautiful all on its own.

But for now, she wanted to touch her lover. And she couldn't help the smile she wore, as she gently ran her finger along Kate's perfect face. She was profoundly beautiful, more so when she was asleep, free of the burdens of life, of loving a woman like Dr. Caroline Elliott.

That thought made Caroline frown, but she pressed on, believing now, deep in her heart, that Kate loved her.

"You're thinking too hard." Kate murmured, startling Caroline from her thoughts.

"Oh, you're awake, sorry, I was just-"

"Don't stop Caroline." Kate said with a tired smile. "I was enjoying it."

"I didn't mean to wake you." Caroline whispered.

"Truly, please don't stop."

Caroline took another deep breath and reached out, a little more hesitantly now that Kate was awake, letting her fingers resume the trail they were making along Kate's forehead, then her nose, then her cheeks and to her addictive lips. She was laying so close to Kate now that she could feel her breath on her lips, could feel when it hitched as she dragged her hand down Kate's neck.

She'd let Kate borrow one of her pyjama sets, her favourite ones to be precise, and she found she liked the look of her clothes on her lover.

"May I?" Caroline asked, playing with the buttons currently hiding her favourite part of Kate away.

"Yes." Kate said quickly, rolling onto her back and sliding her hand under Caroline's neck to pull her closer.

She flipped open the first button, shifting a little so she could stare into her eyes as her fingers went under the fabric to discover Kate's skin.

"Oh," Kate gasped, closing her eyes and dropping her head back.

Caroline suddenly felt powerful, in a way she hadn't before. She wasn't ignorant of the power trip she had, and loved, as the Headmistress of a very well to do school, but the power to do to Kate what Kate had done for her, time and time again, was primal.

She watched Kate's face as her fingers danced across Kate's perfect chest, causing goosebumps to form under her fingertips.

"You're so beautiful." Caroline whispered, unbuttoning another three buttons and sliding her hand down over Kate's stomach.

"You're magnificent." Kate said, opening her eyes and looking straight at Caroline.

She'd said it before, but until that moment, Caroline hadn't really been listening. Not properly anyway. The look on Kate's face, in her eyes, was enough to make Caroline believe it, and she leant down to give out the first kiss of the morning.

"I love you." she whispered as she pulled away. "I want you to hear that in the light of day when my mother isn't here and I'm not crying and you're not angry with me. I love you Kate, and I want to be with you."

"Caroline I-"

"No, it's important." Caroline said, sitting up and turning to face Kate, who hadn't moved. "You need to understand it, I was so lost when John went off with Judith, and Mum moved back, which was good, she helped me with the boys when they tried to work through why their dad had left them, and then there was you, and you were different, it was like sunshine," she said, ignoring Kate's attempts to speak, "at every turn, smiling at me like you do, and letting me talk about my lousy husband and my mother and the boys, and you filled me up, like I was empty." she grabbed Kate's hand, "do you understand? I don't, I'm not good at this, we've established this. I'm not good at any of it, with my boys, or with my Mum, but I'm going to work on it, I want to work on it, I just-"

Kate surged from the bed, her pyjama top undone all the way, revealing a sight that Caroline enjoyed the most before being grabbed and kissed within an inch of her life.

"I-"

"Stop talking." Kate said, pulling Caroline back down with her and waiting for her to settle on top of her. "I love you Caroline. And I know now, that you love me." she whispered, "but now, I want you. More than I've wanted you before. More than the time pushed me up against your office door, more than any time before."

Caroline blushed at the thought of her behaviour in her office. They'd had a wicked time while they were at Kate's house, and Kate had done everything Caroline had suggested while she'd been, what was the word she'd used at the time, _wired_. But as Kate lay back, her top splayed open and surrendering her body as her hands gripping the wood of Caroline's bed head, she knew it was her turn.

"I'm not going anywhere Caroline." Kate whispered. "As long as we keep talking to each other, I'm staying." she amended, and Caroline nodded. Kate could no longer be the only driving force behind their relationship. God knows what a hash she'd make of it, but at least if she kept trying, they'd stay together.

Faced with the exquisite form of Kate's torso before her, she steeled her courage and leant forward studying Kate's exquisite face. Kissing her lightly, she trailed her lips down Kate's neck, stopping to leave just the barest hint of a mark as the younger woman moaned.

"Shh," Caroline said, relaxing when she realised that Kate was enjoying it as much as she was. "Don't wake the boys."

She sank into the feelings of arousal, and love, and devotion that were coursing through her as she worshiped Kate's body, eventually divesting her of her borrowed pyjamas. The feeling of being in control, playing Kate's body until she sung out her name stirred something in her. Something she hadn't felt in years.

Somewhere in their lovemaking she'd lost her own pyjamas and Kate, beautiful Kate had suddenly reached her breaking point and given as much as she'd got. She rolled Caroline over, quietly chuckling as she let out an undignified squeak and proceeded to do away with any thoughts of things being 'technically difficult', proving that in fact they _could _do anything, as long as they did it together.

Together.

"You." Kate said, kissing Caroline's stomach as she lay gasping for breath god only knows how many hours later.

"Are." Kate moved higher, already stirring Caroline's body again.

"Magnificent." she sighed finally, capturing Caroline's lips and making love to them with her own.

"I think you're trying to kill me." Caroline gasped as Kate pulled away. "I, I'm not as young as you."

"Rubbish." Kate said fiercely, "and you are so beautiful when you take control like that. I love watching you, feeling you take what you want from me." she said, suddenly burying her face in Caroline's neck and mumbling something incoherent.

"What?" she asked, moving and trying to get a look at Kate's face.

"I love watching you, when you're in your battle mode, storming down the corridors wearing those sexy skirts and shoes and your jacket is billowing out behind you. I lose my breath and I can't catch it again."

"You think I'm sexy when I'm angry?"

Kate buried her head again, making Caroline chuckle and reach up to stroke the bare shoulder resting on her chest.

"I'll make sure to let you know if ever I'm doling out detentions." she chuckled.

"Don't laugh at me." Kate said, resting her head on her hands. "I can't help it. I told you. Magnificent."

"I'm not." Caroline said, shaking her head, "I'm old, but you are, magnificent I mean."

"Caroline," Kate said disapprovingly.

"Well, I'm not, I've had two children, boys at that. My body will never go back to what it was." Caroline said, swallowing thickly as the thought of aging further slammed into her consciousness.

"And I wouldn't want it any other way." Kate said gently, running her hand over the parts that Caroline was thinking of. The soft and slightly sagging skin on her stomach, the rounding on her hips and down her thighs. "I love you Caroline, you, your body, your soul and even that crazy voice in your head that seems to tell you that nobody can love you just for you. But I'm telling you that it's wrong, that voice, I love you, _every_ part of you."

Caroline sighed, pulling Kate into a full body hug, wrapping her arms tightly, and tangling their legs so she couldn't leave in a hurry. She'd never felt so out of whack before and it was a little confronting.

"Come on." Kate said after a while, rubbing a hand down her spine. "I'll make you breakfast."

"Lawrence will be up." Caroline said, finally noting the time.

"Then I'll make us all breakfast." Kate said, affirming it with a soft kiss.

"I think the world of you Kate." Caroline said quietly, as Kate moved away to find the discarded pyjamas. "The whole world and I'm sorry I ever made you doubt that."

Kate didn't say anything, she stood there in all her glory smiling so delicately that Caroline felt a piece of her heart slide back into place.

It would be alright.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: The second part of the chapter I posted yesterday. Hope y'all like it. **

**Once again, it's not beta-ed so point out the mistakes if you see them.**

-0-

Caroline laughed as Lawrence and Kate play fought over the last pancake and she caught William's eye as she sat there. He smiled so gently at her she wanted to scoop him up into a hug. Lawrence had been the one to steal out into the night - something she hadn't forgotten about, despite the result - but William had stood firm, looked after his brother while she couldn't, and while his father was God know's where.

"CAROLINE!"

She closed her eyes, willing him to go away, to disappear so that she wouldn't have to talk to him while she was in her pyjamas, and Kate was in _her_ pyjamas too.

"Oh, um, what's for breakfast?" he asked, looking from the table to the counter with a frown as if he expected a place to be set for him.

"Kate cooked pancakes." Lawrence said, looking to her awkwardly.

She smiled tightly at him, letting him know it was alright to talk to his dad, and only feeling a little bad for making him think it wasn't.

"Oh, you're her then." he said, as he moved past her towards Kate, so close Caroline could smell the booze.

"Don't." William said, suddenly getting up before she could utter a word.

"What?"

"William,"

"Whoa."

She wasn't sure who had said what, but she sat in shock as her eldest son moved protectively between his father and his mother's girlfriend.

"William, don't mess about, I want to talk to her."

"No." he said, taking a small step so he was actually blocking John's view of Kate. "You've ruined everything and then you tried to ruin this too, but I won't let you." he said, setting his jaw.

"William." she said quietly, putting her tea down, "darling, sit down."

She smiled as Kate pulled him back into his seat as Caroline stood.

"John, a word."

She set herself in her head as she walked into the living room, making sure the door was firmly closed this time. She didn't want another nightmarish scene like the one the night before. She wasn't sure whether it was the multiple orgasms, or just the knowledge that Kate had come back to her, but she simply stood there while he spat his poison until she realised she could be spending precious moments with her family - the one that didn't include John.

"John," she interrupted, not even following what he was saying, "this is me telling you that we're getting a divorce. It's ludicrous to continue this farce and if you love the boys at all then you won't argue with me. I'm telling you, this is final. I'd like you out of the house."

"What!" he screeched, as he so often did. "This is my house, our house. You can't throw me out."

"Yes I can." she declared evenly, refusing to get drawn into another shouting match. She wanted to get back to Kate, her boys, she wanted to get back to the idyllic morning she'd just been enjoying.

"No! I'm refusing." he sneered, crossing his arms like a child.

"Well then, I'd like you to keep out of my way," Caroline said, already wondering what it would cost her to get the locks changed the moment he left. "I'm having breakfast with Kate and the boys and you were not invited."

"I am entitled to have breakfast." he screamed.

"Yes," she agreed, "you are, but you won't be having it with me, or Kate or the boys, now if you'll excuse me."

She pushed past him, rolling her eyes as he slumped against the door. He stank of stale wine and it made her turn up her nose. How had she put up with him for so long?

"Oi, I'm not finished." he said, following her into the kitchen.

"Well, I am John, so if you don't mind disappearing, I'm going back to having breakfast with the boys."

"And your woman."

"Yes." she said, grinning slyly at Kate as her followed her into the kitchen, "my woman."

"Well I don't-"

"Will you just piss off!" William suddenly screamed, shocking all of them into silence. Even Lawrence didn't dare utter one single snigger as his older brother glared up at his father. "Why can't you just go away. We don't want you here. You let Mum go, and it was the best thing that's ever happened to her, to us." William said, his voice getting progressively more wobbly. "Why can't you just leave us all alone."

"John, enough." Caroline said, grabbing his shirt and dragging him to the hallway. "Don't argue, for once in your life think about someone other than yourself." she said, finally putting the all the hurt and shame and anger into her voice as she spoke to him. "You made your bed, now go lie in it."

She left him standing in the hall looking confused, and just in case he was thinking of following her again, she slammed the kitchen door behind her.

"Now," she said gently, moving behind William and pressing a kiss to his hair as she squeezed his shoulders, "why don't we have some tea and biscuits."

"For breakfast, even after pancakes?" Lawrence asked, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice. Biscuits were for after school only.

"Why not." she laughed, reaching out and rubbing Kate's shoulder. "Would you like to go and get the tin? And put the kettle on for me darling?."

He was out of his seat before she could say another word, leaving her to talk to WIlliam without him overhearing.

"I'm so proud of you." she beamed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and letting her cheek rest on his hair. "But he's your Dad sweetheart, I don't want you to hate him for something he's done to me, even if I did end up with the best part of the deal." she said, smiling at Kate and taking the younger woman's hand.

"He left us all Mum." William said quietly, as he always did, "he left and it was better. And then when he was back it was like we couldn't escape him."

Caroline couldn't argue with him, so she didn't, instead, pressing another kiss to his cheek.

"I love you." she whispered.

"I love you too Mum." he said back with a smile just as Lawrence arrived back with the biscuit tin, and a few spare ones he'd managed to sneak from my hiding place.

"I wondered where they'd gone." she said dryly as he giggled. She shook her head and went to the kitchen, well aware that Kate followed her there.

"I'm sorry." she said.

"Don't say sorry for him." Caroline insisted, turning to cup her cheek. "Don't."

Kate nodded and Caroline glanced to her boys, who were watching like hawks as they stood in the kitchen. Instead of kissing her, like she wanted to, she opted to hug her tightly, resting her head on Kate's chest, the tallest part of her she could reach without her heels on.

"If Dad's moving out, does this mean Kate's moving in?" Lawrence asked suddenly, tickling Caroline so much she burst out laughing, caressing Kate's cheek as she followed, until they were all laughing, happy.

Whole.


End file.
